Quiet Misery
by Trunksblue
Summary: Revised. Jack looses his son and wife in a very dramatic way. A friend tries to console him and bring him out of that dark place he hates so much. MacGyver crossover, but it’s not what you think
1. Chapter 1: It begins

**Disclaimer:** Stargate: SG1 is not mine, because if it were people would be confused constantly and that'd be funny…

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait, but I didn't like the direction this story was going and I practically rewrote the whole thing. I hope you all like the changes in it.

**A/N2: **This is an A/U fic, meaning that Jack already knew everyone and had been in the Stargate Program before Charlie died.

_I met a girl by the lake_

A child cries loudly as it's handed to its father, a proud smile lights up his face as he stares down at his newborn son, "He's beautiful." He whispers kissing his wife on the forehead as he hands her the child.

_She had lost her way having never been there before. I shared my lunch with her and she changed my life._

"Charlie." She whispers pressing her lips to the baby's forehead.

10 Years Later

"Sarah?" Jack called out as he climbed out of his truck, "Charlie?"

He frowned finding the yard empty, the front door and windows closed against the heat of the day. A gun shot echoed throughout the yard from the upstairs bedroom. Jack startled and froze for a brief moment then raced for the door, pulling it open before the echo even stopped. He took the stairs two at a time reaching the open door to the master bedroom. A little body lay strewn across the floor gasping and choking for breath.

"Charlie!" Jack gasped dropping to his son's side and pressed his hands against the gaping wound in his chest.

Sarah cried leaning fully against the wall farthest from Jack and Charlie. A small handgun fell from her hand as she sunk to the ground.

"Call 9-11!" Jack shouted over his shoulder as he struggled to keep calm, struggled not to put two and two together.

Sarah stared at Charlie numbly her hands itching at the gun by her side.

"Stay with me Charlie, stay with me. Sarah!" Jack cried tears springing to his eyes, "Please!"

"D…daddy…" Charlie gasped reaching up to Jack's face with a blood soaked hand, "…hurts…" Tears started to stream down his face as his hand fell back to the floor.

"I know it does," Jack found himself sobbing, "Just hang on, you'll be okay."

"I'm… sorry." Charlie coughed grabbing onto Jack's hand, "…mad… at me?"

Jack shook his head, "No Charlie, I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad." He whispered, the sound of a click overpowered his son's raspy breaths. He turned his head just as Sarah raised the gun to her temple, "Sarah!" And pulled.

Almost One Year Later

Jack flopped down on the lone bench in the small park and set down the empty beer bottle in front of himself.

A familiar voice pulled him out of his thoughts, "That stuff will kill you, you know?" A man in his late twenties sat down on the bench next to him.

"Let it." Jack grunted looking away from the man who seemed to be stuck in the early 90's with his light brown mullet, blue jeans, and brown leather jacket.

Mac leaned back against the bench, "You don't mean that."

Jack grunted grabbing his beer and took a long drink from it as to prove his point.

Sighing, Mac turned away, "Everyone's worried about you." He said softly watching the empty horizon, "They're afraid you'll-"

"Kill myself?" Jack said pulling the bottle from his lips, "Ironic huh?" There was a bite of sarcasm in his voice.

Mac's eyes slid over to Jack, "What is?"

Jack finished his beer, "She showed no signs…" He rolled the bottle over in his hands, "She took my soul and left my body here to rot."

"Jack," Mac said slightly grimacing at the mental image he got from Jack's words, "I know you're hurting, and what happened to you no one should ever have to go through."

"Ya think?" Jack spat.

Mac continued, "In time you'll be alright."

_Alright_… No, he'd never be _alright _again. He dropped his head in his hands again, he felt drunk, and his soul was bleeding.

"Even though you may not think so now."

Jack lifted his head from his hands sending a watery, red-rimmed glare at Mac and stood up on unsteady legs. Mac sighed looking away as Jack walked off with his hands shoved in the pockets of his coat.

His life was crumbling apart and falling in-between the cracks of existence. His beautiful son was dead; his marriage was dead, and soon…

He didn't want to be found right away, but eventually, so he locked himself in his office and pulled out Daniel's personal handgun. He had stolen it from Daniel's desk knowing that he'd come looking for it sooner or later. He didn't know, nor did he care, why the archeologist carried a gun but figured it had to do with their off world missions every now and then.

The gun had been cold to the touch, the metal shiny and practically new looking, but now it was warm and he was slightly saddened that once he was finish it would no longer have that new look to it. The hammer was pulled back, the barrel pressed to the warm flesh of his temple, and his index finger tensed on the trigger.

Daniel paused in front of the Colonel's office door and knocked, "Hey Jack, have you seen my-" The words died in his throat at the sound of a gun firing inside the small office. He tried the doorknob finding it locked and began to panic pounding on the door and screaming, "Jack? Jack! Open the door! Open the door damn it!"

"He was giving up." Daniel said sadly still in shock from what they had found, his eyes wandered over the mound of gauze and tubes sticking up from Jack's face.

"He just grazed the skin," Doctor Fraiser informed the group standing in the infirmary, "I'm guessing that when you knocked," She looked to Daniel, "You startled him just enough that he missed."

The group was silent as all eyes turned to the unconscious form of Jack O'Neill. A few crimson spots had managed to soak through the gauze just above his eyes.

"Keep me posted on his condition." General Hammond told Doctor Fraiser before leaving the infirmary.

Sam moved over to Jack's bedside and pulled up a chair, as did Daniel. They sat in silence as Janet checked over Jack's stats one last time.

"It's scary," Sam started watching Janet check Jack's bandages, "That he'd do something like this. I've known the man for almost a year now and he never seemed like the type to… to do this." She finished weakly.

Daniel nodded, "Nothing this traumatic had ever happened to him though," He pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I mean, he lost his son _and _his wife in the same year."

Sam frowned, "He said Sarah had been going through a hard time at work, but nothing could excuse her for what she did."

Janet moved next to them, "Looks like he's coming around." She said examining the charts.

There was a long silence and then Jack's hand twitched and slowly his eyes opened.

"Maybe it's for the better sir," Sam said just out of earshot of the others, "I mean," She continued noting the thoughtful look on the General's face, "He doesn't know anymore…" She trailed off lamely having decided against her argument at the look Jack was giving everybody.

"And that Major," Hammond spoke softly averting his eyes from Jack to hers, "Could be a very bad thing."

The Colonel had woken up ten minutes earlier without a clue as to who anyone in the room was. His speech was slow and slurred but Doctor Fraiser had said there was nothing to worry about, despite the fact that she had sounded a little worried herself.

Sam nodded, "I know sir. If he suddenly remembered, or has memories of his family before…" She took a deep breath through her nose, "The effects could be devastating."

"Well," Hammond sighed, "Keep me posted on his condition." He directed to Janet as she walked by.

"Yes sir." Janet said returning to Jack's bedside and injected his I.V with a painkiller, "This should help your headache." She smiled sadly capping the needle and put it in her pocket to throw away later.

"Thanks." He mumbled quietly.

"So," Daniel started having pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed, Jack rolled his eyes over to him, "You don't remember… anything?"

"That you're," Jack said tiredly, "Very annyoing" He closed his eyes turning away.

Daniel made a face as he looked up at Janet who was trying not to show her amusement at Jack's answer, "It's the painkillers," Daniel nodded climbing to his feet, "I'm sure the amnesia is short term, just let him rest right now."

Jack woke up several hours later to an empty room, well an _almost _empty room. A man stood at the back of the room looking at different things on the counter. From what Jack could see he had slightly long dark brown hair and was dressed in a brown leather jacket, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. Jack cleared his throat and the man turned to him, smiled sheepishly, and walked over.

"Hey," The man greeted pulling up a seat, "You're awake finally."

Several questions ran through Jack's mind but the one to come out was, "How long was I out for?"

"Two hours."

Jack nodded raising his eyebrows briefly, "Oh… Do I know you?"

This seemed to upset the man a little, "Yea," He nodded, "We met about a year ago, my name's Mac."

"Oh," Jack sighed, "Sorry, mind's still a little fuzzy."

"So you're feeling better?"

Jack shrugged, "Got a nail in the head, but unfortunately the amnesia's going away." He frowned, his eyes ticking over to the door just behind Mac, "How'd you get in here anyways?" He changed the subject bringing his eyes back to the man beside him, "I mean, how'd you know I was here? I never told you I worked here."

"I have my ways." Mac replied climbing to his feet, "I should get going," He tilted his head towards the door as he turned, "Your friends should be coming back soon."

"Wait!" Jack called after him, "I still want to know exactly how you got in here."

"I'll be back later." Mac said vanishing out the door.

Daniel and Sam appeared in the doorway shortly after, they both smiled and approached his bedside when they noticed he was awake.

"How are you feeling Sir?" Sam asked.

Jack frowned, "Aside from the odd conversation I had with Mac, I've got a nail in the head."

"Who's Mac?" Daniel spoke up glancing over at Sam.

"A friend, he left just before you came in." Jack shrugged.

Daniel's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I didn't see anybody walk out of your room."

Jack shrugged again, "He has his ways." He said as if it was the most obvious thing.

"But I'm pretty sure I didn't-"

"We probably just missed him," Sam cut in giving Daniel a quick look.

"That's gotta be it." Daniel said slowly trying to hide his confusion.

Jack eyed the two warily, he raised his hand covering his eyes, "No, I don't wanna know."

Sam looked at Jack in confusion, "Sir?"

"Nothing." Jack moved his hand.

Janet walked in and smiled, "I take it he's awake," Jack nodded giving her a sarcastic glare, "Remembering anything?" She continued.

There was a moment of silence as everyone turned their eyes to Jack, "Yea," He said softly, "I can remember the fight I had with Sarah the day before she…" He trailed off turning his head away from everyone.

**A/N: **Please Review!


	2. Chapter 2: Encounters with Mac

A/N: I can't believe I posted the first chapter twice but with a little difference. I am sorry that I am stupid everyone! Anyways, this IS a different chapter with different things in it! Woot! Also, I apologize for the long wait of this chapter.

Thank you everyone for the reviews and I hope you all are still with me on this:-P

Mac was waiting for him in the cafeteria a week later, once Janet had allowed him to leave the infirmary. Jack paused in the doorway staring at Mac incredulously, "You really should tell me how you get in here." He said pulling up a chair across the table from Mac.

A mischievous smirk lifted up the corner of Mac's lips, "Some other day. So how are you feeling?"

Jack shrugged, "I messed up." He said gingerly touching the gauze wrapped around his head.

"Yes you did." Mac agreed, the smile leaving his lips.

"I missed." Jack added standing up to get himself a cup of coffee.

Mac stood up as well, "I can't believe you said that!" He snapped pressing his hands down on the table.

Silence flooded into the empty cafeteria creating thick tension between the two men, Mac fisted his hand on the table as Jack turned around to face him. His eyes were narrowed almost lost in the thick wrapping of gauze over them.

"I mean it." He said darkly keeping his eyes locked with Mac's.

"No you don't." Mac whispered, "This is all a cry for help."

Jack stiffened and Mac could have sworn he heard a snap echo throughout the large room, "A cry for help?" Jack shouted clenching his fists at his sides, "A cry for help?" He said softer shaking his head, "It's a cry for God to come and take my bloody body from this Hell hole!" His voice rose again, "Since he already took my soul from me!"

Jack trembled in anger, his need for coffee long since evaporated in his fury, "How can I live without my soul?" His voice cracked with emotion, "You don't know how it feels."

"You have people here that need you now." Mac said watching Jack carefully study his shoes with a blank expression.

Jack looked up at him, his face pale, "I don't have anyone here."

"What about Sam, Daniel, Teal'c, and Janet?" Mac tried feeling desperate.

"They think I'm crazy." Jack whispered sinking into the nearby chair and cradled his head in his hands, "I just want some damn answers!" He was shouting now, his sudden mood swings startling Mac into wondering why no one was checking in on him yet.

Mac moved across the room to the coffee machine and grabbed a cup, "Jack," He said softly looking away from the coffee, "I can't give you any answers that you already know."

An exasperated sigh exploded from Jack's lungs, "Fer cryin' out loud… if that wasn't an Oma thing to say then I don't know what is…" He rolled his eyes upward and ran his hands through his hair.

Confusion washed across Mac's face, "What's an 'Oma'?" He asked pouring Jack a cup of coffee and moved over to him handing the cup to him.

Jack shook his head setting the cup aside, "What do you want?" Jack asked looking at Mac who had taken a seat at the table.

Mac picked up a paperclip someone had left behind and unbent it, "Come on Jack! You should know why I'm here. It's to help you."

Jack frowned, "I don't need any help." He growled looking away.

"You sure about that?" Mac asked quietly rebending the paperclip back into shape, "You were on the verge of a breakdown a few minutes ago, now you think you don't need any help? What the Hell kind of reasoning is that?" He slammed the paperclip down and Jack, despite himself, jumped.

Mac shook his head, "You know… It wasn't your fault that Charlie died. He wasn't mad at you because of that water gun-"

"Stop it!" Jack shouted jumping to his feet, the movement making his head spin, "Just stop it!" He continued trying to fight off the vertigo, "You don't know anything! Who the Hell are you to tell me about Charlie?" He leaned heavily against the table as his vision danced, "You don't know…" He breathed collapsing to the floor.

Jack touched his temple and winced at the texture of gauze and tape and then the small static of pain that ran across his forehead. "How'd I get back here?" He grumbled sitting up in the bed back in the infirmary. His head throbbed bitterly making him feel light headed and forcing him to lie back down.

"What did I tell you about taking it easy?" Janet scolded him as she walked into the infirmary, "I only let you leave to get a cup of coffee not expecting that to be to strenuous of a task. But then I get a report that you were fighting with someone in the cafeteria? You're lucky that person went to check on you when they did or you'd still be unconscious on the floor in there, since almost everyone's off world right now." She frowned at him pausing in her ranting and then continued looking over his stats, "Who were you fighting with? The lieutenant that found you reported that the room was empty."

Jack sighed nosily, _'Figures he'd leave before anyone spotted him…' _"Mac." He grunted really not wanting to go into further detail about their 'fight'.

Janet nodded, "Oh Mac? Sam and Daniel were telling me about him," She paused tucking her clipboard under her arm, "Nice guy, hm?" She smiled.

"Great." Jack muttered sarcastically covering his eyes with his hand, he moved it away after what Janet had said and squinted at her, "You've seen him?" He asked hopefully.

She shook her head, "Nope, just saying." She smiled lightly, "What's he look like? I would like to meet him."

"Meet who?" Daniel asked walking in.

Jack ignored Daniel lifting his hand in an attempt at showing a measurement even though he was lying down, "About 6 foot 2, dark brown hair,"

"Wait-"

"Brown eyes," Jack continued ignoring Daniel, "Dark brown leather jacket, nice jacket by the way, blue jeans-"

"Jack!" Daniel yelled.

Jack stopped and looked pointedly at Daniel, "Yes?"

Janet snickered. Daniel frowned resisting the urge to roll his eyes and glare at Janet, if that was possible, "That sounds like you… W-well not now with your gray hair- It sounds like you."

"Me?" Jack said ignoring Daniel's obvious embarrassment, "He looks nothing like me!"

Daniel's eyes grew wide for a split second as realization dawned on him, "Are you talking about Mac?"

Janet nodded, "Yes." She answered for Jack.

"Have you seen him?" Jack asked lifting his head a little.

"Well yea… here and there. Just in the hallways though, I haven't actually talked to the guy. He does kind of look like you though." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Janet eyed Daniel for a moment, "Well I better get these reports to General Hammond." She looked back to Jack and smiled, "He wants you back on duty as soon as possible. But I don't see that happening anytime soon unless you rest." She stressed the last word and Jack groaned rolling his eyes to the ceiling, "Come on Daniel."

Daniel looked to Jack who shrugged, "Do as the doctor says." He smirked waving him off.

"I guess I'll talk to you later than." Daniel turned following Janet out into the hallway, "What?" He asked walking along side her.

"You haven't met Mac have you?" She asked stopping.

Daniel shook his head, "Well uh, y-no…" He shook his head sheepishly, "Sam and me were just worried that since Jack hasn't been doing well since his wife and kid died," He paused sighing softly, "Well we think that this Mac guy is a way of Jack coping with what happened."

"Like an imaginary friend?" Janet's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

Daniel shrugged, "I guess."

A/N: Please Review!


	3. Chapter 3: Fall Apart

**A/N:** I wrote this chapter a bit different, hope you guys like!

**

* * *

**

_I hated fighting with you, it hurt my soul to listen to you shout at how 'stupid and ignorant' I was. You thought I was in love with someone else, but really, it had been you all along-_

Jack leaned heavily against the wall fighting the emotions running through him, old memories assaulting his mind and wearing him down to the empty husk he was. Loosing energy he sunk to the floor not even noticing the tears streaming down his face and the screams of agony spilling from his mouth. Then someone ran into the infirmary sliding to a stop in front of him and knelt down, his eyes traveled up their boots to their familiar face.

"Sam."

_'Sam?'_

_'You're in love with her aren't you!' Sarah shouted accusingly slamming her hands on the table, 'She can't have you and my son!' _

_Confusion kicked me in the face, 'Sarah, what are you talking about? I love you, not Sam.' But she wasn't listening she was pacing the room shouting and Charlie was sitting on the stairs crying. I wanted to go to him but she beat me there and pinned me with her eyes sending daggers into my heart._

_'You're trying to kill me-'_

"Kill me," Jack gasped clutching Sam's shoulders as his own shook with sobs, "Kill me Sam."

Sam's eyes widened and watered with unshed tears, "Jack listen to yourself!" She grabbed a hold of his shoulders and shook him, "I'm not going to kill you!"

_Kill you? I couldn't even bring myself to say the words as you sat there cradling our son's head to your chest. I couldn't even remember what had brought this whole conversation up. You just exploded and I don't even know where the ammunition for that came from either._

"Jack, can you open your eyes for me please?" Doctor Frasier was kneeling on the floor where Sam had just been, she had an empty syringe in her hand, one that had probably just been full.

He gaped at her feeling the effects of the sedative almost instantaneously, his vision blurred and before he fell unconscious he saw Mac walk in the room.

**

* * *

**

"What the _hell _was that about?" Sam snapped still shaking from what she had just witnessed. She had never seen the colonel fall apart like that before, well once, but it was nothing compared to what had just happened in the infirmary.

Janet sighed heavily and Sam could see that she too was a little shaken up as well, "I don't know. Daniel and I had just been in there not too long ago and he seemed okay."

"Maybe he was still worked up about that fight he had?" Sam suggested and Janet eyed her warily.

"You heard about that?"

Sam nodded, "Daniel told me he was fighting with Mac."

Janet sighed softly, "That's what Jack said. Honestly Sam, there's nothing medically I can do for him at this point. He's got to work it out on his own, all I can do is give him meds that may or may not help him."

"Hopefully this will all just pass." Sam said softly knowing that was just wishful thinking, as did Janet, but she nodded nonetheless.

They stood there in silence both mulling over what could happen and what might happen to the man they had grown to admire. Their head's both jerked up when they heard soft crying come from the other room.

Janet looked at Sam warily, "I gave him enough sedative to keep him out for at least two hours." She said softly neither moving to look inside.

The crying grew louder becoming clearer that it was the sound of a child crying not a full grown man; they both exchanged confused glances and walked into the infirmary finding it empty.

"I wasn't hearing things just now, was I?" Sam asked softly not wanting to disturb the sleeping colonel.

Janet shook her head, "Maybe it was the pipes?" She asked hopefully.

"Pipes?" Sam eyed her, "Come on Janet, we're both intelligent individuals, we can figure this out." She said moving from the room then froze as the crying started again.

_"I'm sorry Daddy…"_

Their eyes grew wide and slowly they turned around finding the room still empty but the childlike voice continued on, _"I made mommy mad and I made you sad… I don't want you to die too." _

"You think it's the pipes?" Sam whispered as a shiver ran down her spine.

Janet shook her head as they nearly ran from the room.

**

* * *

**

**A/N: **Please review! (And if you can't because it says you already did, try reviewing anonymously) :-)


	4. Chapter 4: Who Are You?

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for the reviews! This is the second to last chapter... although there may be one more after that. It all depends on the next chapter. The song at the beginning really helped me write this chapter, if not for it the wait would have been longer. Sorry about that. :P

**A/N2:** Edited the horrible way it was posted. Sorry about that.

**

* * *

"Walking Away, Lifehouse"**

The sun goes down as the city lights  
Pave their way through the darkest night  
Raindrops fall as an old man cries  
Never thought to ever think twice  
Of all he had  
Of all he lost  
A selfish life  
And guess comes with the cost  
Hey, remember me  
I remember you walking away  
Hey, remember me  
I remember you walking away  
The same old streets just a different name  
Same old house just the family's changed  
Pickett fence  
The window stains  
Freedom spells by a man in chains  
Silence is all we have to give  
And the memories of a life I wish we'd lived  
Hey, remember me  
I remember you walking away  
Hey, remember me  
I remember you walking away  
From all that you made  
That you lost  
Or threw away  
Traded in for a brand new life  
But I can't  
Can't let go  
Can't turn around  
Hold my head high and walk away  
Hey, remember me  
I remember you walking away  
Hey, remember me  
I remember you walking away

* * *

"I'm sorry." 

Jack eased open his eyes to the face of Mac, he scowled looking away and Mac sighed raking his hands through his hair. Silence filled the room save for Mac's occasional sigh, giving Jack time to mull over his thoughts.

He had just had an emotional breakdown, all his thoughts and memories on what had happened that fateful day just bombarded him. Charlie just wanted to play with the squirt gun but his thoughts on guns were that they weren't for playing with. He just didn't like the idea in general, so when he took the toy from Charlie the boy was angry to say the least.

'He'll cool off.' Jack could remember thinking to himself as he left to work that day.

"I said goodbye to Sarah and she wouldn't talk to me." Jack broke the silence and Mac froze, "I found Charlie in the yard with a water gun and yelled at him then took it…" His voice dropped to a whisper, "It's still in my car."

Mac bowed his head, "Jack I'm… I'm sorry."

"It's just a water gun daddy!" Charlie cried reaching for the orange and yellow super soaker, "I'll be careful I promise! Please let me play with it daddy!" His eyes watered as I emptied the water container.

"Guns are not to play with!" I said tossing the toy into my truck through the open window.

Charlie wiped at his eyes, "I hate you!"

"He hated me." Jack's breathing hitched slightly but his eyes remained dry, "Can't say that I don't blame him, I mean… It _was _just a water gun."

Mac shook his head, "He's not mad at you Jack, he's not mad."

"You don't know that!" Jack snapped sitting up, his mind swam from the sudden movement, "You didn't know Charlie," He sighed covering his eyes with his hand, "I don't want to talk."

"But you didn't cause his death Jack." Mac continued despite Jack's wishes, "You didn't take the gun out and shoot him."

"Shut up!"

"It wasn't you, it was her, not you."

Jack grabbed for Mac's neck, "Shut up!" He shouted clinging to the other man's shoulders and shook him, "Just shut up!"

Mac reached up placing his hands over Jack's, "Mom was angry."

"Stop it!"

* * *

"Ghosts? Major do you know how-" 

"Ridiculous?" Sam said cutting the General off, "Yes sir I do know how ridiculous that sounds but it's the truth."

Janet nodded still clutching her clipboard to herself, "I heard it too sir, it was a little boy crying."

"Who was crying?" Daniel asked approaching the group, he had just caught the tail end of Janet's sentence, "Jack?" He guessed folding his arms over his chest.

Sam shook her head, "No, it was... it's a long story. "She finished lamely not wanting Daniel to think they were crazy too.

"Maybe," Janet broke in all eyes turning to her, "Maybe that's what Mac is, Mac is the ghost of Charlie... Or maybe some comfort to Jack's conscience thinking that Charlie is okay and still here." Sam nodded thoughtfully.

Both the general and Daniel stared at the two women in confusion, "Uh, what?" Daniel folded his arms tighter to himself and leaned forward, "Am I, uhm, missing something here?" He had to be, there was no way he was thinking what he was hearing.

"I think you two could use sometime away from the base." Hammond said looking between the two women, "I'm going to get someone to check you two out since, Doctor," He nodded to Janet, "You seemed to be influenced as well."

Sam and Janet exchanged looks, "What? Sir you can't be serious!" Anger underlined Sam's words as she all but stomped her foot, "We've been here for the past two weeks, what could we have contracted that would give us hallucinations?"

Janet nodded in agreement.

Hammond looked at them skeptically, "But ghosts Major?"

Jack's eyes widened in shock, Mac backed away nearly tripping over the chair he had pulled up earlier.

"What did you just say?" Jack whispered his mind buzzing in confusion, in shock...

Mac shook his head looking for all the world a deer caught in headlights, "Nothing."

Jack nodded climbing out of the bed, he leaned back against it to keep his footing, "Yes, yes you did. What did you say?" He pulled away from the bed approaching Mac.

"I said 'she was angry'." Mac said slowly laughing nervously.

"No," Jack shook his head, "You said, 'Mom was angry', you said 'mom'. Who are you?" He was going crazy, he had to be, this couldn't possibly be real. He had known Mac for a year, he met him a week after, after the accident. Mac was staring back at him, his mouth closed firmly, stubbornly. Jack stopped a foot in front of him the Twilight Zone theme song playing in the back of his mind.

"Charlie?"

* * *

**A/N:** I know, horrible place to leave you all hanging at. Sorry. :-) Please review! 


	5. Chapter 5: Resolutions

**A/N:** Thank you Wheeley, Kahless21, Zeilfanaat, and Kurnal Jack for the reviews! And sorry for the long wait :-P

* * *

Jack stared at the man standing beside him, "Charlie? It can't be…" His voice cracked slightly. 

Mac sighed heavily flashing him a small smile, "You figured it out finally." As he spoke his body began to glow and morph. His frame shrank and he turned into a small eight-year-old boy. Familiar large blue eyes framed in short dirty blonde hair stared up at him.

"Sorry dad," Charlie said softly scratching the back of his neck as his cheeks flushed a light pink in embarrassment, "I was afraid you'd hurt yourself…" His eyes shimmered in the light, "Guess you can't stop what's already been planned."

Jack could hardly blink, his heart pounded in his chest at the sight, "My God, how… how… Is it really you?" He was starting to think that this was all a dream but was too afraid to pinch himself incase it was.

Charlie nodded, "It's me daddy."

Ignoring his orders to stay in bed, Jack climbed out and knelt down by Charlie pulling him into his arms. He felt so real, he even smelt real and then his little arms wrapped around his neck.

Jack broke down into tears; his little boy was really here, "It really is you… I'm so sorry Charlie, I'm sorry I yelled at you that morning."

"It's okay daddy, I understand. You're not mad at me now, are you?" It was a typical little kid question and it made Jack laugh softly to himself.

"For what?" He was loosing his voice from all the emotions he was experiencing, had experienced in the past few days… hours.

Charlie leaned back a little, just enough to look him in the eye, "For tricking you. For making everyone think you were crazy…"

Jack shook his head, "They already thought I was crazy, Charlie. I'll never be mad at you." He pulled him back to him; he didn't want this moment to end.

"I can't stay much longer daddy," Charlie whispered resting his head on Jack's shoulder, "The agreement was that I could come back until you figured out it was me…"

'What kind of sick agreement was this?' Jack thought but felt himself nod, "I understand," The words spilled from his mouth like he was on autopilot, "Can I ask you something?" He had so many questions but as Charlie pulled back and nodded only one made it passed his lips, "What happens next?"

It felt odd asking his eight-year-old son something like that. But as Charlie stood there looking at him with crystal blue eyes, he looked much wiser than his age.

"You live." Charlie answered simply and Jack chuckled softly wiping at his tears, "And dad," Charlie continued reaching forward to catch a stray tear from his father's cheek, "I don't hate you, really I don't."

"I know you don't Charlie," Jack sniffed hugging his son to him again, "And I'll live, I promise."

Charlie smiled hugging him back, "Bye daddy." He whispered and Jack felt his arms go empty; slowly he dropped them to his sides and breathed in deeply through his nose.

"Jack? What are you doing out of bed?" Doctor Frasier walked in looking a little hesitant, Major Carter and General Hammond followed behind her.

Pulling himself up onto his feet, Jack offered the group a wary smile as he brushed the rest of his tears away, "Lost a contact." He said offhandedly.

Sam gave him a puzzled look, "Sir, I didn't know you wore contacts?"

"He doesn't." Janet frowned giving Jack a similar look, "Are you feeling okay Colonel?"

Nodding Jack sat down on the edge of his bed, "I'm actually…" He looked between the three and smiled lightly, "Feeling a lot better."

"Well now that we got that settled," Hammond cut in glancing about the room for any busted pipes or something that would answer the 'ghost' story; "Major Carter and Doctor Frasier both claim that they heard voices in your room."

Jack's eyebrows raised in surprise, "Voices sir?" He looked to Sam and Janet curiously, "What kind of voices?"

"Well not exactly 'voices' but _a_ voice." Sam said meekly suddenly feeling like maybe she was the one who had suffered a mental breakdown.

Janet nodded, "It was a little boy crying." She added noting the look that quickly passed over the colonel's face before it went blank.

Jack shrugged, "I didn't hear anything." His eyes slid over to Sam who was eyeing him funny, Hammond however ignored the exchanged glances and headed to the door.

"That's all-" He started to say when what sounded like crying echoed throughout the room followed by cracking and then water exploding from the ceiling.

The group all startled turning to the gushing water spilling from a broken pipe, "I'll go call a mechanic." Hammond shouted over the roaring water as he bolted from the room. Sam and Janet both looked at each other then to Jack who was watching the water fall disinterestedly.

**Two Weeks Later**

Sam stood outside Jack's new office, she had mulled over the possibilities of what she and Janet had heard that day. Nothing logical came to mind, not even when the pipes had busted making a similar sound to the crying had worked out. The door opened and Jack peered out at her with raised eyebrows, "How long were you planning on standing out here, Carter?"

Sam opened and closed her mouth then blinked in confusion, "How did you know I was standing here?" She accused.

Jack opened the door wider for her to enter, "I heard you say 'hi' to someone five minutes ago and your shadow hadn't left the door since."

Blushing in embarrassment, Sam shrugged simply, "Sorry, I was just trying to think of something to say."

"You still stuck on that 'ghost' thing?" Jack grumbled sitting down in his chair and began putting papers away.

Sam shrugged again, "Well… yea," Jack gestured for her to take a seat, obeying she continued, "It just doesn't add up sir."

"Carter," Jack stopped her, "If I tell you something it doesn't leave this room, understand?" She nodded straightening in her seat in interest, "It was just the pipes."

Sam sighed rolling her eyes, "I beg your pardon sir, but pipes don't say they're sorry."

Jack smiled, "When they break they do."

Giving up, Sam stood up, "Okay fine, I'll drop it."

"Thank you." Jack breathed pulling out more paperwork for him to finish.

Sam started for the door then paused looking at Jack over her shoulder, "It was Charlie, wasn't he." The way she said it made Jack pause, slowly he looked up at her.

"Who?"

Sam nodded simply and left the office closing the door behind her. Jack stared at the door, smiled and continued with his paperwork.

* * *

**The End**

**A/N: Thank you everyone for reading, I hope you all enjoyed this fic as much I enjoyed writing it!**

**:D**


End file.
